Congressmen and Senators can bring firearms into heavily-protectedfederal buildings guarded by permanent on-duty police officers, butresidents of Washington, DC are not allowed to have weapons to defendthemselves or their families in their homes.

The Webb staffer is being arraigned today after his arrest. Sounds like it was an honest mistake, and given the fact that it was an honest mistake made on behalf of a senator, I imagine the punishment will be minimal.

It goes without saying-- but I'll say it, anyway, because it's fun-- that a Republican senator would be getting the tongue-lashing of his life from the national press and fellow members of Congress if this had happened on the other side of the aisle.